Mechanical Weed Control Field Day; Vegetable Weed Management

Wednesday, October 9th 9:30am-3pm

Ryder Family Farm in Golconda, IL

Event Cancelled due to rain from Helene.

In this full-day workshop-style event, you will build your knowledge of weed management systems, view and try a wide variety of tools, and learn from a weed management expert and experienced farmer peers right in the field. You will leave with the strategies you need to develop a detailed, comprehensive, and actionable plan for managing weeds on your farm.

Examine many, adjust some, and operate a selection of tools in the field including:
- Walk-behind tractors and implements from Planet Junior and Tilmor
- Hand tools and stale-seedbed tools like flame weeders
Discuss and see examples of weed control techniques including stale seedbeds, cover crops, occultation with silage plastic, mulching with landscape fabric and straw, and reduced-tillage systems
Learn strategies to exploit the biological weaknesses of your problem weeds with the right tools, cover crops, and tillage in both tunnels and the field
Compare systems in the field including white ag plastic vs hilling, reduced-tillage vs conventional tillage; variable row spacing, and more.
Meet other farmers and learn from their weed management experiences, and use a detailed weed management plan template to gain a new perspective on your weeds.

We are pleased to announce that Sam Oschwald Tilton, an agriculture consultant at Glacial Drift LLC and the Training Developer for OATS, will be joining us at the event. Sam has a wealth of experience in vegetable farming and holds a master’s degree from Michigan State University with a focus on precision weeding tools. He has developed and sold weeding machines for the KULT-Kress company, visited farms throughout Europe and the U.S., and worked on and managed vegetable farms in WI. For the past 6 years, he has organized the Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day. Previously, Sam taught horticulture at Lakeshore Technical College and served as the Fresh Market Vegetable Specialist for UW-Madison Extension. He is also known for his expertise in teaching about weed management across the country. Sam's valuable insights and experiences make him a highly anticipated addition to our event.

Event Notes:

Cost of Registration: $20
(Will be refunded at arrival)

Lunch will be provided

Schedule:

9:30-10 - Arrival, registration, coffee and pastry

10-11 - Farm tour, with a focus on weed management

11-12 - How weeds work, and the big picture of ecological weed management

12-12:45 - Lunch, informal networking

1-1:30 - Introduction to types of weeding tools

1:30-2 - How to adjust cultivators to match field conditions

2-3 - Hands-on tool time for participants to try tools in demo plots

3 - Evaluations;Adjourn

Please note that this day has been cancelled due to the rain from Helene. The Oct 8th date at BeetRoot Farm is still open. Please click here to register.

Oct 9th Field Day Registration at Ryder Family Farm